Luke woke up to the gritty sound of silence. His body was stiff, every muscle aching, but the worst of it throbbed in his side. He winced, hand instinctively going to the wound. The makeshift bandage Riley had wrapped him in was soaked with dried blood, and the pain reminded him he was still alive.

He blinked, his vision adjusting to the dim motel light filtering through the threadbare curtains. The dingy, stained walls did little to block the noise of the outside world, but for now, the place was eerily quiet. He turned his head, searching for Riley.

There she was—curled up by the door, head resting against the wood, a gun clutched loosely in her hand. Even asleep, her face was tight, brows furrowed like she couldn't let herself fully relax. She had insisted on keeping watch, but it looked like exhaustion had finally gotten the best of her.

Luke sighed, his chest tightening. She had gone through so much to keep them safe, had fought tooth and nail for him, but seeing her like this—so damn fragile yet protective—made something inside him twist. She looked so small, like she didn't belong in this grim motel room, weapon in hand. She should've been safe, warm, not guarding him like her life depended on it.

Gritting his teeth, he dragged himself up, every movement slow and deliberate. Pain shot through his side, and for a second, he nearly blacked out, but he steadied himself on the wall, breathing through it.

"Goddamn it," he muttered under his breath as he shuffled toward her. He splashed some water on his face from the grimy motel sink, the icy cold waking him up a bit more. He ran his hands through his hair, wincing as another wave of pain hit. When he turned back to look at Riley, slumped there, still gripping the gun in her sleep, his heart clenched again.

He knelt down beside her, wincing as his wound tugged painfully. Slowly, gently, he pried the gun from her hand and set it aside. She stirred slightly, her lips parting as if she was ready to argue with him even in her sleep.

With a quiet grunt of effort, Luke slid his arms underneath her and tried to lift her, but the pain in his side made it impossible to stand. She woke just as he managed to half-drag, half-carry her onto the bed.

"Luke, what the hell are you doing?" Her voice was groggy but laced with irritation. She sat up immediately, eyes flashing with concern as she noticed the strain in his face. "You shouldn't be out of bed. You're going to make it worse."

He grunted, carefully lowering her onto the mattress before collapsing down beside her, trying to catch his breath. "I should be asking you the same thing," he shot back, his voice gruff. "You didn't sleep. You think I didn't notice?"

She glared at him, sitting up on her elbows. "I was watching your ass because someone has to. You're the one who's bleeding out and refusing to go to the hospital, remember?"

"Riley, for the love of God, just—" He winced as he shifted. "Just get some sleep. You're not going to do anyone any good if you run yourself into the ground."

"I'm fine," she said, her stubbornness cutting through her exhaustion. "You're the one who—"

He groaned in frustration and grabbed her wrist, forcing her to lie back down next to him. "Enough. Please, just stop for one minute."

Her mouth opened, ready to argue again, but the exhaustion in her eyes betrayed her. She hesitated, and Luke took that moment to push further. 

"You don't have to protect me every damn second," he said, his voice softening. "You've done enough. You saved my life. Let me do something for you."

Riley's gaze softened, but her mouth stayed pressed in a firm line. "I can't lose you," she muttered, looking down at the blanket between them. "You don't get it, Luke."

Luke's grip on her wrist tightened just slightly, and he sighed, his voice rough with emotion. "Riley, you won't lose me. But I swear to God, I'm going to lose it if you don't just lie down with me for five damn minutes."

She stared at him for a moment, her defenses slowly crumbling. Finally, she let out a defeated sigh and lay back, her head resting on the pillow next to his.

"Fine," she grumbled, her body finally relaxing next to his. "But if you get up again, I swear—"

"I'm not going anywhere," Luke murmured, closing his eyes, exhaustion overtaking him once more. He reached out, slipping his arm around her, pulling her close. "Just... stay here. That's all I need."

Riley didn't say anything, but she shifted closer, her head resting against his chest, and for the first time since they'd run, Luke felt something in him finally ease.

________________________________

Riley POV

The pool was eerily quiet, lit only by the faint glow of the moon as it hung lazily in the sky and a lone streetlight on the other side of the parking lot. Riley sat at the edge, her legs dangling in the cool water, the surface rippling slightly with each movement. Luke was next to her, leaning back against a garbage can, his eyes focused on the dark water in front of them.

They had been on the run for a week now, hopping from one dingy motel to the next, living off vending machine food and instant noodles, never staying in one place long enough to let their guard down. Luke had been getting better, his limp not as pronounced as it had been days ago, but he still moved with a stiffness that made Riley wince whenever she saw him struggle.

"Feels like a lifetime ago we were just at the precinct," Luke muttered, breaking the silence. His voice was low, the kind of low that told her his mind was running in circles, thinking too much about things he couldn't change.

Riley nodded, staring at the water. "Yeah. I wonder what the hell's going on out there," she said softly. "Sinclair's probably still out there, trying to cover his tracks. And my brothers..." Her voice faltered, and she bit her lip, looking away from him.

Luke's jaw clenched. She could feel the shift in him, the way he tensed at the mention of Sinclair, the way he probably wanted to tell her again how reckless it had been for her to get involved in the first place. But he didn't. Instead, he leaned closer, his arm brushing hers.

"They're smart," he said quietly. "Your brothers. I don't think they'll go down without a fight."

Riley's throat tightened at that, and she nodded, hoping he was right. But there was no way to know. Every time she thought about Mike and Kyle, a sick feeling twisted in her gut. She had left them in the lion's den, and now all she could do was hope they had made it out alive.

"Do you ever wonder what happens after all this?" she asked after a long silence. "I mean, when it's over, if it's ever over. What happens to us? To the job?"

Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know. Things won't ever be the same, that's for damn sure." He paused. "The force is going to be a shitshow. Everyone's going to have questions, and I don't know if we'll have any answers. If we even make it back."

Riley nodded. It was the truth neither of them wanted to face, but it hung there, unspoken and heavy between them. There was a real chance they wouldn't make it back. That Sinclair, or someone else, would catch up to them before they could even figure out how to bring him down.

"You know," Luke began, his voice softer than usual, "I don't think I've ever seen anyone as strong as you've been this entire time. Undercover isn't easy for anyone, let alone someone who... cares as much as you do."

Riley glanced at him, surprised by the vulnerability in his tone. "Are you feeling okay, Maddox? This is suspiciously close to a compliment."

He huffed a laugh, shaking his head. "I'm serious. You were stronger than me, Torres. When I first went under years ago, I was a wreck. Didn't even think I'd make it out with my badge intact. But you? You held your ground. You handled it better than I ever could."

Her smile faded as his words sank in. She stared at the water, the ripples catching the light. For a moment, she didn't respond. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, "Thank you."

Luke turned his head toward her, clearly caught off guard.

"For what?"

"For keeping me alive," she said, meeting his eyes. "For being strong when I couldn't. For being... a damn good training officer, even when I hated you for it." She gave a short laugh. "Especially then."

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Well, someone had to keep your reckless ass in check."

Riley rolled her eyes but laughed. "Yeah. Remember when I tripped while we were surveilling that warehouse when it was, like, my first time in the field?"

Luke raised his eyebrows, an amused expression playing across his handsome face. "You mean the first of many times you almost got us both killed?" He gave a playful eye roll. "Yeah that was hilarious."

Riley smacked his arm. "And then you gave me a week of desk duty!"

Luke gave her a dry look. "You absolutely deserved that week of desk duty. And let's not forget the time you got mad and walked the entire way back to the station after I pulled that shit with the background check."

Riley groaned. "Don't remind me. My feet hurt for days. But to be fair, you were being a dick."

"Fair."

The laughter softened, and a comfortable silence settled between them. Luke glanced at her, his expression growing serious. "I said some things back then I wish I could take back."

Riley arched a brow. "Like what?"

"Calling you a liability," he admitted, his gaze fixed on the water. "I didn't mean it. Not really. You're not a liability, Riley. But you are dangerous."

She frowned, confused. "Dangerous?"

"Yeah," he said, finally meeting her eyes. "Because if I knew you were in danger—if I even thought you were—I wouldn't care about rules or protocol or who else needed protecting. I'd burn down the entire damn world to keep you safe."

Her breath hitched, his words cutting through her usual defenses.

"Luke..."

Before she could say anything else, he leaned in, his lips brushing hers softly at first, then with more purpose. Riley didn't pull away. She melted into him, the kiss deepening as the world around them faded away, leaving just the two of them in the stillness of the night. His hand fisted the hair at the base of her skull as her hands made their way to his chest, clutching his shirt.

When they finally pulled apart, Riley felt breathless, her heart pounding in her chest. Luke's eyes were dark, intense, as he looked at her, like he was searching for something. She held his gaze for a moment, then with a mischievous grin, she pulled back and shoved him hard.

He toppled into the pool with a splash, resurfacing seconds later, sputtering and shaking water from his hair. "Really?"

She smirked, trying and failing to ignore how hot he looked soaking wet. "You were getting too cocky."

"Oh, I'll show you cocky."

He peeled off his soaked shirt and grabbed her wrist, yanking her into the water before she could react.

Riley surfaced, gasping and laughing. "You asshole!"

Luke grinned, his hair plastered to his forehead. He grabbed her waist in the water and pulled her toward him. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he pressed his lips to her temple. "You're the one who started it," he murmured against her skin.

Riley leaned back to look at him, arms wrapped around his neck. The faint glow of the motel lights caught the sharp angles of his face, his eyes shining like the water around them. Riley stopped moving for a moment, watching him, and Luke's expression softened as their laughter faded into the quiet of the night.

"You look good like this," he said, his voice low and steady.

Riley laughed. "Like what? Soaking wet and ridiculous?"

"No." His throat bobbed, the water rippling around him. "Happy."

Her breath caught, her usual quick wit faltering as his words sank in. 

That was all he needed. His lips found hers, and the world melted away. The kiss started soft, tentative, but quickly deepened as months of tension and unspoken feelings crashed over them. Riley's fingers slid up his arms and into his damp hair, pulling him closer.

Luke's other hand found the small of her back, drawing her against him as their mouths moved together. The water lapped around them, cool and forgotten compared to the heat of the moment.

Her pulse thundered in her ears, but she didn't care. All that mattered was him—his touch, his kiss, the way he made her feel like the only person in the world.

He stood to full height, his upper half rising out of the water. His lips found the skin of her neck as he made his way to the edge of the pool, his lips hot against her skin compared to the cool nighttime air. 

He set her down on the edge and stood back for a moment, taking in her flushed skin and white pajama shirt that had turned see-through. Riley looked at him as his eyes darkened, reminding her of a predator looking at its prey. She swallowed thickly as she looked at him, his abs glistening with water drops, the dim lighting casting shadows across his handsome face. 

Then he was back on her, grabbing her thighs in his large hands and peppering her chest with lingering kisses. 

"Luke," she hissed, in between moans. "We're in public."

He ignored her entirely, biting at her chest and neck as his hands trailed higher and higher on her thighs until he hooked a thumb under her tiny pajama shorts and lifted his gaze to hers again. His eyes burned into hers as he slowly, torturously, pulled the crotch of her shorts to the side. Riley felt the cool air against her center as her heart beat rapidly. 

Slowly, teasingly, he reached down, running his thumb through her folds. Riley jerked, gasping, and looked around the empty parking lot. It was late; there wasn't a soul in sight, and they were mostly concealed by the shadows that were cast by the solitary lamp post across the parking lot. Even still, her heart beat wildly- she couldn't ignore how exposed they were. 

Luke smirked and slowly lowered himself into the water. Grabbing one of her feet, he placed a slow kiss to her ankle bone, and another one to the inside of her knee.  "Better stay quiet, Torres," he murmured as she felt his stubble graze her inner thigh. 

Riley bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out as he threw her legs over his shoulders and his lips met her center. He kissed her slowly at first, as if savouring her, causing her whole body to erupt in goosebumps. He continued his assault with his mouth torturously slowly, leaving Riley feeling like her whole body was on fire. She let out a groan and bucked her hips, desperate for more friction. 

Luke let out a deep chuckle and pulled back, replacing his mouth with his fingers as he looked up to Riley's face. His eyes burned into hers as one finger entered her, then two, while his thumb stroked and brought her closer and closer to the edge. 

Luke tsked and stood back to full height, capturing her mouth in a scorching kiss. Riley let out a whimper as she drew closer and closer, her body tightening, when Luke suddenly pulled away. Her eyes flew open to find Luke staring at her, laughter in his dark eyes. He leaned in until his lips touched her ear. 

"We're going to need four walls for what I'm about to do to you," he whispered, biting at her ear lobe. It was all Riley could do to nod as he kissed her once more, picked her up, and carried her back to their room.

***************

Author Note:

Sorry for the holiday hiatus!! I hope this nice long chapter makes up for it <3

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